This invention relates to a personal information device (PID) on a mobile computing platform.
A mobile computer, such as a laptop computer, can include an operating system (OS) that is loaded from an external storage device such as a hard disk. As a result, the OS may take a relatively long time to power-up compared to the time its takes to power-up an OS in a PID. In addition, the mobile computer typically includes a portable power source, such as a battery, and electronic components such as peripherals, a processor, and a display screen that may place a large demand on the power source.
On the other hand, a PID, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), can be a low cost computing device that includes a low power processor with the capability of executing an operating system (OS) directly from flash random access memory (RAM) to allow the PID to power up quickly. The PID can execute application programs such as an electronic mail (EMAIL) program and/or calendaring program and can display data associated with such application programs on a display that is smaller than a conventional mobile computer.